A Chinese funeral may follow Buddhist, Taoist, Christian or secular rites, but they are often united by a shared desire to honour and care for an ancestor. This guide covers what to expect – before, during and after – and how your local Dignity funeral director can support you in arranging a Chinese funeral.
There is no single set of Chinese funeral beliefs or practices. A family may hold a Buddhist service, a Taoist one, a Christian one, or none at all – and Buddhist and Taoist rites are often performed side by side.
What connects them is a strong sense of ongoing duty to those who have died. For many families, honouring parents and ancestors doesn't end with the funeral – offerings continue to be made and renewed for years afterwards. That's why a Chinese funeral isn't seen as a final goodbye, but as part of an ongoing relationship with the person who has died.
Traditional Chinese funerals tend to follow a similar sequence: washing and dressing the person who has died, a period of lying in state, choosing the day of the funeral, the funeral procession, and offerings made afterwards at the burial site.
Some families invite a Buddhist or Taoist specialist to chant or perform rites for the person who has died. Others carry out acts of remembrance in the weeks that follow, often in cycles of seven days. Practice varies a great deal between families and regions of origin, so we won't assume what your family wants – we'll ask.
At Dignity, we support families of every culture and belief. From arranging for monks or a Taoist priest to attend, to making space for offerings and the burning of paper, we have the expertise and experience to honour every detail. If you need to arrange a Chinese funeral, just contact your local Dignity funeral director who will talk everything through with you.
Chinese funeral customs vary between families and regions, so if you are unsure it is always best to ask the family. Here's what to expect:
Offerings of food, incense and paper money are central to a Chinese funeral, not just symbolic. Burning paper is a way of passing things from this world to the next – based on the idea of treating the person who has died as if they were still living.
Practice differs between families and between regions of origin, including the colour of any envelope if money is given. It's always best to ask the family rather than assume.
Conventions on colour differ between communities, so it's best to ask. Plain, modest clothing is never inappropriate.
Follow the family’s lead. You may be invited to bow, to offer incense, or simply to stand quietly.
The cost of a Chinese funeral in the UK depends on the funeral director, the crematorium or cemetery, and what your family chooses to include. Where a Buddhist or Taoist specialist is invited to chant, or where the rites run over more than one occasion, can affect both the timing and the cost. Choosing a particular date rather than the first available slot can also change the venue fee. Your local Dignity funeral director can talk you through everything that is included, and the costs, so you can plan with confidence.
Our funeral directors are at the heart of their communities, with over 500 branches across the UK. Search below to see if we have a funeral director near you.
At Dignity, we're here to support families of every culture. We can arrange Japanese, Korean, Irish, Spanish, African, Nigerian, Caribbean and Jamaican funerals, and funerals for people of every faith and none. Contact your local funeral director to talk about what your family needs.
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